Pubdate: Sun, 19 Jul 2015
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2015 The Dallas Morning News, Inc.
Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/send-a-letter/
Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117
Author: Howard J Wooldridge
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v15/n396/a03.html
LEGAL THEFT BY THE POLICE
Re: "Assets being taken unjustly - Forfeiture laws give states free
hand to seize property of individuals simply on suspicion, say Laura
and John Arnold," Tuesday Viewpoints.
As a retired Michigan police detective, I am keenly aware of my
profession's desire to "police for profit." As a property room
officer, I handled the cash coming in and the sale of mostly $2,000
cars my colleagues seized. Our local prosecutor received 10 percent
of all money seized in the county, ensuring political support. How
does this work?
Every six months I would take almost a thousand dollars in cash to
buy hay for our horses. Had I been stopped, the officer could seize
the money and the truck, claiming I was en route to buy drugs. A year
later I could go to the court to show ownership of four horses and
the need to buy hay every six months. Maybe, I would get the money
back - maybe not. How could I prove I was not buying drugs?
This legal theft by my profession is disgusting.
Howard J Wooldridge, Dallas co-founder, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom